The present invention relates generally to novelty masks, and more specifically, to novelty face masks assembled from beverage coasters and drinking straws.
Beverage coasters are used in many situations to protect furniture and other surfaces from the heat or condensation of beverage containers. Many such coasters, which can be made from cardboard, cork, plastic, or other material, are provided in restaurants and bars for the use by patrons with their various beverages.
There have been a few attempts in the prior art to add various features to these coasters, so as to make them even more useful to the user or to the drinking establishment. For instance, the coaster disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,618 to McKee has a slot for opening tabbed cans and a twist grip for opening twist-off bottle caps and can be used by the users (particularly beer-drinkers) to perform these additional functions. The coaster disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,684 to Milne has a holder for business or other advertising cards attached thereto and can be used by the drinking establishment to promote its products and services. Finally, the coaster disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. D372,845 to Meier is in the shape of a golf green with the words xe2x80x9c19th HOLExe2x80x9d and can be used to celebrate an event such as a golf tournament. Meier""s design, however, is still simply a design for a coaster and is to be used as such.
In addition to coasters, there are a variety of masks known in the prior art, masks such as those disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. D244,880 to Terry (an ornamental design for a spray mask having a stick holder and a generally rectangular mask portion that covers the nose and eyes) and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,163 to Beauvais (a spectacle mask having a festive motif). Because such masks are neither planar nor absorbent, they cannot be used as coasters. In addition, these prior art masks are not easily or readily assembled and disassembled.
Accordingly, there is still a need in the art for coasters having new features and added functionalities. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides for further related advantages.
In brief, the present invention relates generally to a coaster, or coasters, which can be used by a user not only as the usual furniture protector or condensation collector but also as a festive mask for shielding or covering the user""s face. The preferred embodiment of the coaster is made of heavy cardboard, but could be of corkboard, plastic, or any other acceptable material, and is covered with a colorful, festive design, such design being modified as appropriate for particular celebrations, events, or other purposes.
The coaster of the preferred embodiment is of a generally round, planar shape with a circular peephole punched through the coaster (and located so as to be integral with the design) and a generally linear slot located proximate the outer edge, such slot being open at one end and thus creating a tab which can be inserted into one end of a straw, such as a generally cylindrical conventional drinking straw. A user can assemble a mask by inserting the coaster tab into the end of the straw and then holding the straw so that the coaster shields his face with the peephole positioned over one eye. As a kit, the coaster and the straw could be provided together, and the design on the coaster and straw could be chosen to be appropriate to a particular celebration or event.
In an alternate embodiment, a mask kit can be provided comprising two generally round, planar coasters and one generally cylindrical straw. In this embodiment, each generally planar coaster has at least one selectively sized, shaped, and positioned peephole, and a generally linear slot proximate the outer edge of the coaster. In this configuration, the tabs of both coasters are adapted to fit snugly together into the open end of the single straw. In other words, the maximum width of the tab is about the same as or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the cylindrical straw, thereby allowing the tabs to fit securely within the shaft portion of the straw. The mask is assembled by the user placing the tabs of each coaster into one of the open ends of the straw such that (i) the two tabs of the two coasters overlap each other within the straw, and (ii) the two linear slots of the two coasters are in a substantially parallel relationship to each other.
The coaster mask kit could easily be adapted in shape, material, and design to accommodate a variety of purposes. It has already been mentioned that the design could be modified for particular celebrations (such as holidays and birthdays) and events (such as sports tournaments, company parties, and fundraisers). Of course, with different designs, there could be two or more peepholes, and the peepholes could be of any shape. Also, the coasters could be provided in generally square, rectangular, triangular, or any other regular or irregular shape. (As long as the coasters are generally planar, then they can perform their dual functions of mask and coaster.)